jessica sanchez sings US national anthem in pacquiao-bradley boxing match

did lack of focus make manny pacquiao lose the boxing match to timothy bradley?

we saw it for the first time when pacquaio fought marquez – pacquiao did not seem to be the same boxer we all admired. in fact in that fight many wondered why pacquiao won the fight. it was said allowed – marquez should have won it.

all of us got shocked when bradley won in a split decision today. the rounds seemed to go to pacquaio or are we just used to seeing pacquaio win that we blinded ourselves into thinking pacquaio was winning the fight?

non filipinos may not know it but manny pacquaio,  the world class boxing champion who has beaten every great fighter after the next in recent years is not just a boxer in the philippines. pacquiao since before the marquez fight has become a philippine congressman, weekly tv show host, singer, band  member and the most recent a born again christian who quotes the bible  in each and every occasion he is in.

he used to have very hectic and serious training before a fight. but starting during the marquez fight, his preparations for his fight  changed.  pacquaio constantly stopped his training during the marquez fight preparation with appearances in events in baguio where he trains and even goes down to manila to attend events.

he basically did the same thing in his preparation for the bradley fight  but this time his excuse for breaking his training was to conduct bible studies and give religious talks when invited by groups. we don’t know how the religious groups have managed it but for some reason they were able to get to pacquiao and get him to break his training for these bible studies and engagements.

we do not know why manny has embarked into these multiple roles of his. we wonder if manny does not yet understand his  place in philippine history. has he been taking these additional roles to enlarge or even find his place in philippine history.

pacquaio does not seem to understand he is already one of the greatest filipinos in philippine history and that is as one of the greatest filipino boxing

manny pacquiao breaks his training to lead a bible study

fighter. he is loved for it and nobody is greater than him in that role. taking in other roles like congressman, tv host, singer and bible minister will not really add to his greatness and make filipinos remember and admire him more, they can only water down what he is already in our minds and hearts. and this watering down may show in his fights.

and that is perhaps what happened today. the lack of focus on what he does and what he is great for may have cost manny the fight against bradley.

the fight today was delayed for some time. the news reports says it was delayed as pacquaio wanted to finish watching the boston celtics and miami heat game 7 for the eastern conference title. the  basketball game was on its last few minutes and  pacquaio, a celtics fan wanted to finish the game.  and true enough after the celtics lost the game, pacquaio moved to another oom to have his gloves placed on him.

that was just one incident that shows pacquaio has lost focus on boxing. it seems unthinkable that a world class boxer who is about to fight a much younger fighter decides to watch a basketball game on tv rather than put his mind 100% into the fight which was about to happen in less than 10 minutes.

pacquiao has won many of his most difficult fights not just on the basis of skills and brawn but on the mental side.  he won his fights by outwitting his much bigger and stronger opponents. on the bradley fight, pacquaio’s mind  may have been on being a congressman, singer. band member , tv show host, bible pastor and the most recent a boston celtics fan.

Timothy Bradley upsets Manny Pacquiao on split decision

By Mark J. Rebilas, US Presswire

LAS VEGAS — It appears the new Manny Pacquiao is not the same as the old Manny Pacquiao.

Pacquiao, who turned to religion this year, had won championships in a record eight weight divisions, and he appeared to dominate his fight against Tim Bradley. But it was Bradley who was awarded a split decision, handing Pacquiao his first loss since 2005 Saturday night before a capacity crowd at the MGM Grand Garden.

Bradley remained undefeated, improving his recored to 29-0, with 12 KOs. Pacquiao fell to 54-4-2, with 38 KOS.

Nearly everybody on media row, including HBO’s Harold Lederman, scored the bout overwhelmingly for Pacquiao. Lederman had it 119-109. But the judges at ringside, in a stunning decision, saw it otherwise. And the crowd let them know how they felt, raining boos as HBO’s Max Kellerman tried to talk to the fighters afterward.

Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum came over to media row and said he had it 10 rounds to 2 for Pacquiao, and said even Bradley’s manager had it 8-3 for Pacquiao.

“We’ll make a lot of money on the rematch, but this is (expletive) nuts. People don’t even know what they’re watching. They’re trying to kill boxing,” the 81-year-old Arum said.

Ringside judges Duane Ford and C.J. Ross score the fight 115-113 for Bradley. Judge Jerry Roth gives it 115-113 to Pacquiao.